This 3 Days Rwanda Gorilla Tour package takes you to the Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda for an amazing gorilla tracking experience. You will not only observe mountain gorillas in the wild but will also have an opportunity to tour the city of Kigali, the genocide memorial center, the twin lakes (Burera and Ruhondo) the Iby’iwacu Cultural Village to understand the Kinyarwanda Culture. Before getting to the park, you will drive through the country’s beautiful rolling hills, tea plantations and beautiful sights of the Virunga volcanoes in the horizon.
The Volcanoes National Park is found in the northwestern part of the country. It is one of the three national parks on the Virunga Massif which is covers Rwanda, Uganda and the Democratic Republic Congo. The other national parks within the Virunga Massif are Virunga and Mgahinga. The Volcanoes National Park has a surface area of 62 square miles and consists of montane and bamboo forests. Within the park are 5 Volcanoes including Gahinga, Sabyinyo, Muhabura, Karisimbi and Bisoke which are all separate tourist attractions in their own right. The Volcanoes National Park was part of the Virunga National Park before it became a separate wildlife conservation area. The park rose to prominence when the American primatologist Diana Fossey started her gorilla research station between Mount Karisimbi and Bisoke. Diana Fossey’s research station did not only study mountain gorillas but also later included gorilla conservation to stop the decreasing population of mountain gorillas due to poaching. Without her efforts in the park, it is said that mountain gorillas would be no more because influential people would not have known about their plight. By informing the world about gorilla poaching and the need to protect them, Fossey attracted funding and the attention of wildlife conservation Agencies. There would also be no gorilla trekking because we would probably not know the best way how to habituate gorillas. Every year hundreds of tourists visit her grave in the park to pay homage and learn about her work with mountain gorillas.
The volcanoes National Park is not only home to mountain gorillas as we have already mentioned. It also home to 5 Virunga Volcanoes. Another key attraction are the golden monkeys. The golden monkeys are also endangered but their numbers seem to be increasing these days. The cute monkeys can be found at the foot of the Volcanoes where they thrive on bamboo shoots and insects. The Volcanoes National Park is also home to forest buffaloes, elephants, bushbucks, black fronted duikers, hyenas, different tree species and over 170 species of birds. You can check out our shorter 1 day Rwanda gorilla tour or the 2 days Rwanda gorilla safari package. Gorilla permits in Rwanda cost $1500 and this can make the overall cost of the tour more expensive. If your budget is tight, then you can choose to do the cheaper 3 Days Uganda gorilla safari.
- Main Activities
- Full Itinerary
- Tour Inclusions and Exclusions
- Packing List
- Additional Information
- Lodges and Hotels
Main Activities
- Kigali city tour
- Gorilla Tracking at volcanoes national park Rwanda
- Visiting the Iby’iwacu cultural
- Visiting the twin lake (Burera and Ruhondo)
Our company Guide will pick you up at your hotel or the airport in Kigali. After familiarization and a briefing, he will take you for a tour of Kigali. The first place to start with is the Kigali genocide memorial center. You will then proceed to the Presidential palace museum, the city market and artisan shops. After the city tour, you will go for lunch and then start the 3-hour journey to the Volcanoes National Park. On reaching Musanze, you will check in to your hotel, shower and rest. In the evening the driver will take you to visit the Twin Lake of Burera and Ruhondo. The Lake has remarkable scenery and is excellent for photography. If time permits, you can take a boat ride, visit some of the islands and chat with the local fishermen.
This will be the big day of your 3 days Rwanda gorilla safari. You will wake up early in the morning, have a cup of tea to warm up your body and then go for briefing at the Volcanoes national park. The briefing is led by the Park Guides and will take about 30 minutes. During the 30 minutes, your gorilla permits and passports will be verified. You will also be assigned a gorilla group and be given a chance to hire a porter if you have a heavy luggage/camera. After the briefing, you will proceed to the starting point and then into the forest to search for the gorillas.
group, what to expect, other animals in the park and the different wildlife species you may encounter. The trails are unpredictable given the mountainous nature of the park. The stories and information shared creates excitement and lets you forget any fatigue you may be experiencing as a result of walking for long distances. Eventually you will find the gorilla group and this is where expectations meet reality. Members of the gorilla group will be foraging, resting, playing, breastfeeding or grooming. If you are lucky, you might witness the silverback mating with one of the females. The site of a dominant and benevolent silverback can be intimidating but remain calm and follow instructions from the Guides. Mountain gorillas are very gentile primates unless provoked. The park officials will let you know when to start taking photos or making videos.
freshen up. The driver will then take you to the Iby‘iwacu cultural village. This village brings together all the tribes of Rwanda to demonstrate their cultural heritage, traditions and ancient practices. You will learn a lot about Rwandan food, local beer making, brick laying, ancient medicine/herbs and much more. Expect to also be entertained by music, dance and drama. Tourists are not just onlookers at the Centre. You will be asked to take part by dressing up in local costumes and taking photos. The cultural encounter will mark the end of your day and the driver will take you back to the lodge for rest and a chance to mingle with other tourists you met during the briefing/trekking.
